After Dark: Sound and Music

Open your ears to the world of sound! As a primary sense, hearing informs us about our surroundings. What differentiates sound as noise from sound as melody is subject to internal processing of its physical properties and emotional resonance. Discover the full spectrum of sound and music through our exhibits, a special demonstration by our Explainers, and an extended musical performance by Awesome Orchestra.

Awesome Orchestra
6:30, 7:30, and 8:30 p.m.
Moore Gallery 4

Awesome Orchestra returns to the Exploratorium with a special set curated by guest conductor Dr. Sixto F. Montesinos Jr. The orchestra has been bringing music to adventurous places around the Bay Area since 2013, and welcomes any musician who wants to join. In this open session, you'll watch the creative process unfold as Awesome Orchestra performs the Mexican National Anthem, Huapango by Jose Pablo Moncayo, Intermezzo from the opera Atzimba by Ricardo Castro, and "June" from the album Camellia by local singer-songwriter Dia Luna. Get ready for an awesome orchestral adventure!

Dr. Sixto F. Montesinos Jr. is Assistant Professor of Music and Head of Instrumental Studies at Saint Mary's College of California. He is a conductor, flutist, music educator, and scholar, researching new and effective ways to strengthen Mexican-American relations through the study and performance of music.

Dia Luna (Andrea Diaz) hails from Sacramento and spent many years in New York in fruitful collaboration with musicians like Joe McGinty (Psychedelic Furs) and Stuart Bogie (Antibalas). Her album Camellia is a sweeping chronicle of her search for identity and freedom, told through stories of ancestral lineage, American mythologies, and personal transformations.

Xylophone Demo
With the Explainers
6:30-9:30 p.m.
Gallery 5

Experiment with music-making and sound on a custom-made wooden xylophone! Play with rhythm and tones as the Explainers lead you through the science and structure of this lively instrument.

DJ King Most
From Hip Hop for Change
6:30-7:45 and 8:15-9:30 p.m.
Bechtel Gallery 3

Get ready to dance your way through the night as DJ King Most from Hip Hop for Change sets the vibe and keeps the party moving all night! King Most's original "redirections" remixes have made him Bay Area DJ royalty, and his music can be heard in celebrity DJ sets and cultural happenings across the nation-not to mention on the Bay Area's own KALW.

Hip Hop for Change is an Oakland-based nonprofit that uses grassroots activism to educate people about socioeconomic injustices and advocate solutions through hip-hop culture.

Cash Bar
6:00-9:30 p.m.
Osher Gallery 1, Kanbar Forum

Adults Only (18+)

Note: Free for members and donors-only a membership card and ID required for entry. The Tactile Dome is currently closed.

Food and drinks will be available to purchase and enjoy in our Seaglass Restaurant and additional bar location during After Dark. Please note that there is no drinking or eating allowed elsewhere in the museum at this time.

Curious about what to expect during your visit? Check out our current safety protocols and guidelines (https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit).

Others Details

Category: Arts | Visual Arts | Museum Time: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm